Riders and management are taking plenty of positives from the Trans-Tasman Senior and Young Rider Test Series that wound up at the weekend.

The young riders produced a clean sweep to win their series while the seniors had to settle for second after they and the hosts headed into the all-important final leg with one win apiece.

Chef d’equipe Jaime Campbell-Ward had plenty of praise for all the riders. “It really showed the resilience of our bunch,” she says. “They are an incredible crew and never gave up.”

The final young rider leg at Willinga called for the team to dig deep. “It didn’t go our way in the first round but all four of our riders came back and jumped clear rounds in the second. It was superb.” Jaime said the growth she had seen from all of the riders had been “huge”. “It has been very exciting and they all learnt so much. I think we have a lot more to come.”

The feedback she had received from both sides of the Tasman was heartening. “They are inspiring people at home and hopefully will encourage others to come over here (to Australia) and compete. It is a great experience and a good first step for those keen to go further.” She and her Australian counterparts are keen to see the series continue with riders on their own horses, rather than on borrowed mounts. “It has all been incredibly successful,” said Jaime. “This is vital for the future of our sport.”

The series opened at the Waratah World Cup Show where the young riders won and the senior team third. Next came the Tamworth World Cup Show where both New Zealand teams notched impressive wins. The final leg was at Willinga where the young riders headed home a very competitive field and the seniors were second to finish the series in second place.

There were also some excellent individual results from the weekend, most notably Sophie Scott who had two horses in the top six of the CSI1*-W world cup qualifier, finishing third with Normandy GHP and sixth on Benrose Stellar. Normandy was double clear, coming home in the second round in 46.56 seconds while Stellar picked up four in the second round, crossing the flags in 44.53 for the fastest time of the round. The class was won by Phillip Lever aboard Billionaire NZPH who was double clear in 44.73.

Sam Whale and Fleur Delacour placed sixth in the mini prix spectacular with Emma Gillies and Lafayet Ego Z right behind her in seventh. Emma Gillies topped off an excellent tour with a win in Sunday’s Stal Tops Young Rider Series class aboard Benrose Black Jack, with Sophia Blackbourn and LT Holst Zalato Blue seventh.

4CYTE Jumping @ Willinga 2025  FULL RESULTS

AELEX Tamworth World Cup Show  FULL RESULTS

Waratah World Cup Show CSI1*-S FULL RESULTS

By Diana Dobson – HP Media Liaison
22 September 2025